JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is trying to figure out what happened to a man found along a railroad track in Northwest Jacksonville Thursday afternoon after a CSX train operator spotted a body as he was riding by.
The body, later identified as 45-year-old Charles Edward Brown, was found in the area of Spring Grove Avenue and West 33rd Street about 2 p.m., according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
Police said Brown died at the scene, and his death has been ruled a homicide.
When officials arrived they said it was hard to tell how long the body had been there.
Police said the investigation revealed that Brown was last seen by family members on Sept. 14 at 11:50 p.m. when he left his residence after being contacted by an unknown person(s). He did not return.
Police said Brown's family began to look for him but did not call police until Sept. 17 around 11:30 a.m. to report him missing.
Workers in the area said they weren't shocked to hear about the body because they said they witnessed a drive-by shooting nearby on Monday.
One of those workers, who asked to only be identified as Dee, said he saw a man and woman walking along the railroad tracks Monday when someone inside a car drove by and opened fire as the couple ran away.
"A Dodge Charger stopped and started firing at the two and the passenger was also firing at the two and they fired about 20 rounds and took off," Dee said. "I think that it might be related. I think that one got hit and went down the railroad tracks and maybe bled to death or something."
Police haven't confirmed if the two incidents are related and a press conference given about the body made no mention of a drive-by shooting.